Attachment for cultivators



G. H. VICKERY ATTACHIQENT FOR CULTIVATORS Jan; 19, 1943.

Filed July 22, 1939 2 She ets-Sheet 1 eome INVENTOR. 2 JA LZ ATTORNEY.

Jan. 19, 1943. H. VICKERY ATTACHMENT FOR CULTIVATORS Filed July 22; 19392 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORH. 21. 2 -4 A @IIIIIIHIHIIlllllllllllllllllllATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 19, 1943 UNlTED STATES sic 2 Claims.

The invention relates generally to agricultural implements of the natureof cultivators and particularly to an attachment for such implementsdesigned to remove clods and soil from the plants deposited thereon bythe cultivator.

The cultivator now in general use for loosening the soil and killingweeds between rows of growing crops frequently causes the clods and.soil turned up by its shovels to cover the plants. This covering must beremoved otherwise the plants will be injured or their growth affected.

The object of my invention is to provide a cultivator with means bywhich the clods and soil deposited on the plants by the shovels of thecultivator may be easily, rapidly and effectively removed from theplants, as the implement is moved along, without injury to the plants.

The invention consists in the novel means for accomplishing theforegoing objects hereinafter fully described and pointed out in theclaims, an embodiment of the invention being illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Figure l is a perspective view of acultivator having the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the clod and soil removing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the disc.

Fig. 5 is a fractional cross-section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line and Fig. 7 is an elevation of theresilient connection between the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 and thecultivator.

Referring to the illustrative embodiment of the invention, I representsa fraction of a tractor and 2 is a well known cultivator mechanismmounted on the tractor, having three shovels 3 on each side arranged onthe supports 4. The supports 4 are suitably mounted on the cross member5.

A support 6 is mounted on the cross member 5 and depends therefrom. Abar I is pivotally connected at its forward end to the support 6 and achain 8 is connected to an arm on the member 5 and to the bar I, bywhich chain the rear portion of the bar is supported.

The bar I is approximately midway between the rows of shovels or thevertical planes thereof. An extension bar 9 is secured at one end to therear end of the bar I and at its opposite end is secured or formed a jawl adapted to adjustably engage a jaw ll secured to an arm or bar 6 ofFig. 5,

I2. The bolt 13 holds the jaws in engagement with each other. The rearend of the arm 12 is curved laterally to form a seat M for the convexend member 15 of the spindle it upon which the disc H is revolublymounted. The bolt 18 passes through the seat M, the end member l5 andthe slot IQ formed in the hollow spindle, provision being made for theinsertion of the bolt into the spindle. This bolt and the nut 2E3thereon lock the spindle to the arm in adjusted position.

The disc IT is dished with its concave side facing the spindle. A seriesof radial, longitudinally curved rods 2| project from the periphery ofthe plate, the inner end of each rod being bent laterally and extendedthrough an opening in the plate and welded or otherwise secured thereto.The disc adjacent its peripheral edge is bowed rearwardly at intervalsto form the cleats 22 through which the rods or teeth extend and bywhich the rods are held against any swinging movement on the disc.

By adjusting the jaw H on the jaw It the disc is raised or lowered, andthe angularity of the disc with respect to the bar I is regulated byadjusting the spindle It on the arm l2. The disc is adjusted to causethe rods or teeth 2! to contact the ground and its angularity is fixedas may be desired. As the implement is moved forwardly the teeth of thedisc engage the ground causing the disc to rotate. Since the shovels areoperating on opposite sides of the row of plants and the disc isintermediate the shovels, the disc travels along the row of plants andits teeth engage the clods and soil progressively which may be projectedby the shovels onto the plants and lift, push or move them to one sideof the row without injuring the plants.

The disc ii is not only disposed on the frame at an angle to thelongitudinal axis of the frame but is inclined forwardly so that itsteeth or prongs lift the clods that they engage and move them away fromthe plants.

To compensate uneven conditions of the ground, a standard 23 is securedto the bar 1 and a cross bar 24 is secured at a desirable point to thestandard. Two springs 25 are attached to the cross bar 24 and theirlower ends are connected to convenient parts of the cultivator, as tothe shovel supports. Any upward movement of the bar I will be opposed bythe springs and hence the springs tend to retain the relative positionsof the disc and the shovels.

The disc and its supporting frame are readily applied to or removed fromthe cultivator. They may be applied to any cultivator whether powerdriven or horse drawn and could be applied to a hand operatedcultivator.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment for cultivators comprising a frame having pivotalconnection at its forward end with the cultivator, a bracket pivotallymounted at one end for adjustment in a vertical plane on the rear end ofthe frame, the opposite end of the bracket being bent laterally andhaving a curved face on its rear side, a hollow spindle having acompanion face adjustably held against said curved face of the bracketand a disk revolubly mounted on the spindle, the disk having a pluralityof prongs projecting from its periph ery.

2. An attachment for cultivators comprising a frame having pivotalconnection at its forward end with the cultivator, a bracket plvotallymounted at one end for adjustment in a vertical plane on the rear end ofthe frame, the opposite end of the bracket having a laterally curvedface on its rear side, a hollow spindle having a companion faceadjustably held against said curved face of the bracket, a disk freelyrotatable on the spindle and having a plurality of forwardly curvedprongs projecting from its periphery and a pair of springs suspended onthe frame and adapted to be connected to the cultivator on oppositesides of the frame and intermediate the ends thereof.

GEORGE H. VICKERY.

